


Dragonball Goes International

by FechtarTheDragon (mariothellama)



Series: The dragon series [6]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Cakes and Pancakes, Dragon Babies, Dragons play football, Emirates Stadium reimagined for dragons, Family, Flying, Hot Chocolate, International Dragonball Match, M/M, Magic, Pies, Teams are dragon families in this universe, They are all dragons, fluffy and happy, food magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 03:26:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13332483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariothellama/pseuds/FechtarTheDragon
Summary: The Black and Gold dragons are flying overseas to play a game of Dragonball against the Red and White dragons.An extra scene from 'Dragon Tales'.





	Dragonball Goes International

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LowInHighSchool](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LowInHighSchool/gifts).



> Dear jewelsandbinoculars
> 
> I enjoyed reading about Shkodran and his dragon so much that I asked Mistress to help me write this little story for you. It is set in her dragon universe where everybody is a dragon and where dragons love football. Or Dragonball as they call it.
> 
> Please do feel free to ignore this fic if it is just totally too weird for you or not your thing. Or if you don't like my dragon family (I know that some people don't and that is absolutely OK.) I had a lot of fun writing your dragon family though, especially since we know so many of them very well.

Erik woke up suddenly. Or to be more accurate, he was woken up suddenly. Normally he woke up blissfully warm and happy, held close in the loving embrace of the magnificent golden dragon curled around him. But today he was woken up by a small, emerald-green dragon jumping up and down on top of him and head butting him in the belly. Smaragd might still be a baby in dragon terms, but he was a dragon nonetheless and so he packed a mighty punch.

_‘Wake up, papa! Wake up! I want to watch you and daddy play Dragonball against the Red and White dragons. I’m soooooo excited! The others will be here soon and you two are still asleep.’_

_‘Our son has a point,’_ he heard Marco’s voice in his head, rich with amusement. ‘ _Today is a very special day for a small dragon. And his friends will be here in an hour or so.’_

Erik uncurled himself from between Marco’s claws, bending down to give Smaragd his good morning snout kiss. _‘I’m awake now, Smaragd. And you’d better not get too excited or you won’t be able to have any pancakes for breakfast. I don’t want you being sick on me during the flight. We’ll be in the air for a long time today.’_

 _‘Pancakes will never, ever make me sick, no matter how many I eat,_ ’ chanted the small dragon, dancing across the floor of their lair high up in the Pfälzer Wald.

Fortunately Uncle Robert materialised in the cavern at exactly that moment to provide some much-needed baby-dragon-looking-after support. The huge black dragon, who had been Marco’s first mate and now lived in not quite the same reality as them, was slightly transparent and the walls of the cavern shimmered behind him as he picked Smaragd up to swing him round and round, making the small dragon giggle in excited glee.

 _‘Thank you, Robert,’_ said Erik gratefully.

_‘No problem. And I wanted to be here. This is a very special day indeed, since my nephew will be flying off to his very first international Dragonball match.’_

Somehow they managed to control the chaos until the others arrived, the sounds of mighty wings beating in the sky above their lair alerting them to their arrival. Well that and the excited telepathic shrieking of the small dragons! Matthias and Pierre were first to arrive with little Oscar in tow. Oscar ran across the warm, sandy floor of the lair the moment he saw Smaragd, the two young dragons falling to the ground and wrestling in a tangle heap of limbs, tails and snouts.

Lila’s entrance with her parents Nuri and Mario was a bit more elegant and restrained, but soon the three best friends were playing and gambolling about like they always did when the three of them were together. They could only be coaxed to sit still by the promise of pancakes. Erik conjured up pile after pile of fluffy pancakes with clouds of whipped cream and a mountain of berries from the enchanted lake and soon the only sound to be heard was the noise of dragons burying their noses deep into mounds of pancakes and eating greedily, the adults as much as the children.

Marco leaned over to kiss him with a distinctly sticky snout. _‘I’m so glad that you’re my mate, little one. And you have the best food magic of any dragon I’ve ever met._ ’

Finally it was time to leave, at least once the three small dragons had been marched into the enchanted lake to have the pancake mess washed off their snouts. Some of the grown-up dragons might have had to wash their snouts and claws as well so as not to disgrace their family in front of the Red and White dragons.

Oscar was big enough to fly on his own, albeit with a training lead firmly attached to Pierre’s claw in case of accidents. It was Pierre’s job to chase after Oscar since he had obviously inherited his speed from his daddy and Matthias was fed up of being unable to catch the young dragon. Lila and Smaragd were still too little for such a long flight so had to be safely tucked into the flight carrier on one of their parents back.

 _‘Bye Uncle Robert,’_ Smaragd squealed, _‘I wish you could come with us.’_

 _‘Maybe it’s just as well that he can’t. The Red and Whites haven’t completely forgiven him for the last time he was there,’_ muttered Marco in an undertone to Erik.

And then they were off. Six mighty dragons and their precious cargo taking off and climbing high above the forest for the first leg of their journey.

Smaragd chattered away excitedly. _‘What are the Red and White dragons like? Are they fun? Do they have baby dragons too? What do dragons in England eat? Will there be cake? Please say that there will be cake. Uncle Mario will be very upset if there isn’t cake.’_

Erik did his best to answer all Smaragd’s questions and the flight north to their family arena passed quickly. Even after all these years as a dragon Erik still thrilled coming into land on the huge arena floor, the black and gold banners fluttering proudly in the breeze, the yellow pylons stretching boldly upwards. It took an hour or so for all of the members of the family who were fit to fly to arrive. Today was a very special game and many of them were accompanied by their partners and children so it was a larger than usual flight of Black and Gold dragons that took off for the longer flight across the channel to the home of the Red and White dragons.

This was the first time that Erik had seen the arena that was home to the Red and White family and his eyes were almost as big as Smaragd’s as they flew overhead. The arena was red, there was red everywhere, while glass and metal structures reached into the sky like an elaborate sculpture. The walls were decorated with vast mural paintings of Red and White dragons playing Dragonball and a towering statue of a dragon in combat stance stood outside. Marco was captain for this game and Erik heard him make contact with the captain of the Red and Whites, allowing them to pass through the magical security dome that hid the arena from the humans who lived nearby.

Most of the Red and White dragon family were waiting to greet them on arrival. Marco had explained that their Black and Gold family were on slightly better terms with the Red and Whites than they were with the Crimson Scarlets, or at least the rivalry wasn’t so strong, so they would be spending the night camped out near their arena.

Erik let Smaragd out of his carrier, expecting him to run off and play with the others. But Smaragd stayed close to his hind legs as Erik trotted forward at his mate’s side. Erik was always proud when Marco was captain, but his glorious golden dragon could get a little … well … how could he put it … worked up and over-enthusiastic as a side effect of his captainly responsibilities.

They went over to where the captain of the Red and White dragons was waiting to meet them. Per was huge. As in really, really huge. Probably the biggest dragon Erik had ever seen. But he had a kind, friendly face and a big smile, which was just as well since he towered a head above Erik and Marco. _'We call him the big friendly giant. We’ve known each other for ages. You’ll like him,’_ he heard Marco say through their mental bond, safe in the knowledge that nobody could overhear them unless they wanted them to.

Erik looked at the other Red and Whites present with interest. A compact, dark dragon with a lively, intelligent expression on his face caught his attention. _‘That’s Mesut,’_ Marco explained, _‘you need to keep a very close eye on him. He’s a tricky one. You think he’s doing nothing and then suddenly he’ll turn up where you least expect him to or make a dash for it and score a Dragongoal before you know what’s happening.’_ It turned out that Marco and Mesut had known each other for a very long time as well and they greeted one another warmly.

Marco introduced him to the other dragons as well. There was a heavily-built, powerful looking dragon, every bit as dark as Robert. He had a striking face, with the most attractive, perfectly sculpted features Erik had ever seen on a dragon. His manicured eyebrow ridges in particular were a thing of beauty to behold. Erik caught himself staring at the dragon Marco greeted as Granit, almost hypnotised by the sight.

Then Granit’s mate came trotting up to say hello and Erik’s jaw dropped open involuntarily. _‘Yes, it is impressive,_ ’ he heard Marco say. He could have sworn that the golden dragon was laughing at him. Olivier was the first fully bearded dragon Erik had ever seen and he boasted the most amazing dark and luxuriant facial hair imaginable. But he seemed really nice, once Erik had got over the shock.

 _‘Quite a few of the Red and Whites are bearded dragons,_ ’ Marco explained. ‘ _I’ll introduce you to another one of them.’_

Shkodran’s beard was shorter than Olivier’s and it matched his shimmering reddish gold scales to perfection. He had an incredibly infectious smile for a dragon and his mate was a powerful looking, dark and brooding dragon called Alexis.

Shkodran bent down to Smaragd, coming almost snout to snout with the small dragon. ‘ _Hallo! I guess that you’re Erik and Marco’s son?’_

_‘Yes! My name is Smaragd. And I’m very, very excited. This is my first international Dragonball game. I love Dragonball!’_

_‘So do I!’_ smiled Shkodran, _‘it’s one of my very favourite things in the whole world. Now there are lots of our young dragons here. Maybe you and your friends would like to meet some of them. If that’s alright with your parents, that is?’_

Smaragd turned to look at Marco and Erik with big, pleading emerald eyes. _‘Papa! Daddy! May I? Ple-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-ase!_ _I promise I’ll be good!‘_

 _‘Of course. Have fun!’_ Erik replied. He and Marco looked fondly at Smaragd running off behind Shkodran and Alexis, followed in hot pursuit by Oscar, Lila and the rest of the younger Black and Gold dragons to be introduced to the young Red and White dragons. The little ones seemed to be having a good time getting to know each other. They even seemed to have started an impromptu game of Dragonball on one of the training pitches supervised by Shkodran and Alexis.

 _‘Hmm’_ said Granit thoughtfully, looking at the young dragons playing together, _‘Maybe we should start an international junior Dragonball competition?’_

Everyone agreed that was a good idea. And then it was time for dinner. The Red and White dragons had put on a wonderful spread for the visitors and they all sat together companionably while eating, drinking and chatting.

Smaragd got the answer to his question as to what dragons ate in England, at least when they were playing Dragonball. The emerald dragon’s eyes were as big as the pancakes he’d eaten just that morning as he looked at the huge pile of shining golden treasure laid out before him. _‘W-w-w-w-w-w-what are those?’_ he stammered, transfixed by the beauty of the burnished golden pastry and the tantalising smells reaching his nostrils.

 _‘Those are pies,’_ Shkodran explained, _‘those are our special Dragonball food. There are lots of different fillings. If you want to try them all, maybe you can share with your friends?’_

Even though they had eaten half their bodyweight in pancakes earlier, it had been a long day and the pies were delicious. Smaragd, Oscar and Lila dived in snout first, making contented happy dragon munching noises. Like them, the Red and Whites were vegetarian and there were so many good things to try. There were pies filled with vegetable curry. Yummy potato pies. Pies with sweet potato and goats cheese. Granit called them the ‘posh pies’. There were curious pies full of macaroni cheese. But Smaragd’s absolute favourites were the cheese and onion pies and he ate more than he should have. But he still found room for hot chocolate and marshmallows, even if he had to ask Oscar to toast his marshmallows for him since he was still too young to breathe fire properly.

All the dragons were planning to sleep in the arena that night. Some of the Red and Whites had flown in from far afield as well. A lot of them spoke French just like Pierre and he was enjoying the chance to socialise with them.

Smaragd was full to bursting point by bedtime, his belly rounded from eating far too many pies and drinking too much hot chocolate. He burped slightly as Erik scooped him up in his forearms, letting out a tiny jet of flame.

 _‘We’re going to have to start your fire training soon,’_ Erik observed fondly, snuggling down with the small dragon cuddled up to his belly and Marco curled protectively round both of them. Smaragd yawned contentedly, warm, full and sleepy. _‘I like England. I like it when you play Dragonball here. Can we come back?’_

 _‘Of course. But we haven’t even played yet. So you need to go to sleep. And so do we or we’ll be too tired to play tomorrow.’_ Erik kissed Smaragd on the top of his head, rocking him off to sleep. It didn’t take long until nothing was to be heard in the now dark arena except for the sound of dozens of mighty dragons snoring happily.

The next day dawned bright and sunny. There was a lot to be done after breakfast. Both dragon families trained briefly and then it was time to prepare for the game. Marco pointed out a very special dragon to Erik and Smaragd, the Red and White dragons’ Dragonball coach. _‘That’s Arsene, he’s the elder dragon of this family and he’s one of the oldest and most venerable elder dragons still with us.’_

It was time for the game to begin. Smaragd and the other small dragons were being safely looked after by some of the dragons who weren’t playing today. Erik went through his usual pre-match ritual, experiencing the same cocktail of excitement, anticipation and nerves he felt every time he took his place as left back behind Marco.

And then they were off. The game was past and furious from the very start. They were only a few minutes in when Erik saw Marco go charging down the wing and nearly score, only to be stopped in his tracks by Shkodran. The two dragons went down in a pile of legs and wings before untangling themselves and trotting off after shaking claws. But Erik didn’t have the luxury of being an onlooker for long as soon he was pressed back behind an onslaught of Red and Whites. He remembered Marco’s warning from yesterday and kept one eye on Mesut, which turned out to be a very good idea indeed.

Neither side had scored a Dragongoal by half time and all the dragons were breathing hard from their exertions as they huddled together. The second half was just as frenetic, with lots of chances for both families. Erik hardly had time to think before the final whistle blew and a small emerald-green dragon came barrelling out of the viewing area to leap up into Erik’s claws.

 _‘That was fun, papa! Lots of fun!’_ he cried excitedly.

And it had been fun. A lot of fun. The final score was … well that didn’t really matter anymore for there was indeed post-match cake and lots of it. All the dragons munched happily on their cake, especially the Black and Gold dragons who needed to replenish their energy for the long flight home. Smaragd pronounced himself far too excited to be able to sleep for at least a week, but he was already starting to nod off as Marco lifted him into the flight carrier strapped to Erik’s back.

The Black and Gold dragons took off into the air after promising to come back soon. They circled over the arena in their flight formation, waving their claws to their Red and White friends in farewell, before setting off on the flight home.


End file.
